Parenting the hurt child Dundalk

Parenting the hurt child

A space for foster cares to explore parenting and relationships with children and young people over four sessions. Facilitated by Christina Enright.

We are very pleased to offer IFCA members who are foster carers the opportunity to work with Christina Enright, a psychotherapist with expertise in parenting guidance. Over the course of four sessions, foster carers will be facilitated to develop their understanding and think about some of the complex challenges that children carry. The sessions will also help foster carers to reflect on how their own process meets the child’s and connect with their own challenges in parenting the child. The sessions will provide a dedicated space to explore parenting and relationships with children and young people. It will not focus on other issues in foster care. Foster carers are encouraged to attend all four sessions to support continuing learning together.

Taking part in the sessions offers an opportunity to:

• Share your struggles within the group

• Bring your own specific learning needs and have a space to have these met

• Get support and encouragement from other foster carers

• Through reflection gain greater insight and empathy for the child or young person which will help to build stronger relationships and enhance the child’s sense of felt security

• Experience the value of a reflective space as a means to explore the issues and draw on your own capacity and resources to solve challenges arising within the placement.

This is an open space for foster carers to bring specific issues they may be struggling with in relation to a child or young person in their care. This can be helpful for foster carers irrespective of how much experience they may have. More inexperienced foster carers can learn from experienced carers as they share their insights from their experience. Foster carers who have participated in lots of training usually find these particularly helpful as their learning needs may be more related to specific interpersonal issues with the child or young person and having a place to explore these can help them to find their own solutions.

Here is a flavour of what IFCA members have told us about previous training with Christina:

Christina was excellent, knowledgeable and enthusiastic on the topic.

I found the whole of the topics so interesting and they were really simply put so that we could really understand.

Best course I’ve been on – thank you so much.

All of it was useful. Best course I have taken.

Absolutely fantastic training. Should be a must for all carers/care givers.

About Christina Enright, Child and Family Psychotherapist, Consultant, Trainer and Clinical Supervisor

(RN, BSc Psychology, Dip in Family Therapy, MA Child Psychotherapy)

Christina grew up in Co. Laois and following qualifying as a nurse, worked for 15 years in the NHS in London. She retrained as a family and child psychotherapist and has over 14 years’ experience treating complex trauma and attachment disruption. Christina’s experience includes developing a clinical service for children, adolescents and parents experiencing extreme trauma. She supported a team of psychotherapists, teachers and keyworkers to engage therapeutically with children, adolescents and parents who struggled to engage in mainstream mental health services. She also set up psychotherapy services in schools. In addition, for over 10 years, Christina gained a wide range of experience delivering training to a variety of professionals within the NHS, education and social care systems. After living in London for 29 years, Christina recently returned to Dublin and currently works as a psychotherapist, consultant and trainer. She is also in the process of publishing a book on attachment and neuroscience for allied professionals. Christina has a special interest in the brain, trauma and attachment − in particular, how complex or developmental trauma impacts on the global development and mental health of the child, adolescent, and adult, as well as its manifestations through presenting functioning and behaviour. Furthermore, she is passionate about disseminating research evidence on the impact of trauma to wider arenas, particularly within the social care and education systems, so that through better understanding staff can work more effectively with the most challenged and challenging children, young people and parents.

Practical details

Who are the sessions for?

The sessions are for foster carers who are members of IFCA.

Where and when will the sessions take place?

Dundalk, Crowne Plaza Hotel,

Tuesday 11 September

Tuesday 9 October

Tuesday 6 November

Tuesday 27 November

What time will the sessions take place?

09.30 − 10.00 Registration, tea and coffee

10.00 – 13.00 Parenting Guidance Session

How much will they cost?

Tickets will cost €50 per person for the series of four three-hour sessions. The sessions are subsidised by IFCA. Please note: the ticket is for the set of four sessions; tickets cannot be purchased for individual sessions.

Will I receive a certificate for attending?

Participants will receive a certificate from IFCA for the number of hours completed at these sessions.

Is Parking Complimentary?

Yes parking is complimentary at the hotel.

How can I get more information?

For more information, please contact IFCA Learning and Development on learning@ifca.ie or phone the national office on 01 459 9474.